Avenge My Heart
by CallieT15
Summary: Katarina Sunderland is the goddaughter of Tony Stark and trained criminal profiler. Her newest assignment comes from Nick Fury himself to crack the God of Mischief's next moves. If she fails, her entire world and the heroes she love could perish. The damaged, tragic god might have a chance for redemption after all, if only he'd let her save him. Set during The Avengers.
1. Chapter 1: Kryptonite

This story takes place during the events of The Avengers in which I just added Katarina and the plot points surrounding her. I hope you like it! Please feel free to tell me what you think (good, bad, constructive criticism). Thanks for reading :)

* * *

 _The Tesseract has awakened. It is on a little world. A human world. They would wield its power, but our ally knows its workings as they never will. He is ready to lead. And our force, our Chitauri, will follow. The world will be his. The universe yours. And the humans, what can they do but burn?_

* * *

Katarina Sunderland smiled sweetly over her Styrofoam cup of weak coffee.

"The usual. Probably childhood emotional trauma, uncaring parents or highly successful siblings."

The detective glanced up from his notebook. "He was in and out of the foster system since he was four."

"Figures. At least make it difficult for me, Watson." Katarina yanked on her braid that fell over her shoulder. "Was one of the victims a foster parent?"

"No…but one of the young women was in the same foster family for a few years."

Katarina's smiled turned wicked. "Adopted before he was, huh? Typical. She was the intended victim. The others were just casualties."

The older detective narrowed his eyes from behind his wire-framed glasses. "He killed twenty-two people in this office shooting. Why not just the woman?"

Katarina shrugged, completely bored.

"Not our concern, now is it? That's for him to worry about behind bars. Unless they of course inject him, which would be my vote by the way."

The detective glared at her with unabashed disgust. "Murder is never the answer, Miss Sunderland."

Katarina, who knew a handful of professional assassins, could only nod with a false look of remorse. "Of course, sir. My apologies."

The phone rang loudly and Katarina thankfully jumped for it, twirling a pen in her other hand. It was a long Tuesday afternoon in the office and she was just as bored with this job as she was when her godfather had insisted upon it. She had other plans, in due time, when her godfather wasn't quite so protective. Katarina had begged dozens of times to work for him and his company, but he insisted this would have to do until the chaos died down.

"Miss Sunderland. I have an assignment for you of the utmost importance. When can you leave for New York?" a familiar, gruff voice inquired.

"Well, Fury," Kat grinned like a Cheshire cat, "immediately."

"This will be a hopefully brief assignment but it must be taken care of. We have only encountered this once before, but it isn't what our profilers are used to. Your room will be set up in Stark Towers."

"Oh, Tony didn't tell me they had finished construction," Kat mused.

Fury continued as if she hadn't spoken. "Your professional skills are unparalleled, as Tony has told me."

"Did you get his permission for me to be brought on to this case?"

Fury laughed, a short bark. "Does it sound like I ask for permission, Miss Sunderland?"

"'Course not, sir. Who am I dealing with?"

"You'll see when you get here. Romanoff will brief you."

"Will Clint be with her?" The two were kind of a package deal when Katarina got involved with the organization. Both had trained her in hand-to-hand combat, survival skills, and other elementary assassin essentials.

"Barton has been compromised, Miss Sunderland."

 _Oh…poor Natasha_ , Katarina thought, frowning for the first time during the conversation.

Kat glanced up at her computer screen. "Does this have anything to do with the psycho loose in Germany?"

"It does indeed."

"Looks like Tony and Captain Rogers had it all under control." She scanned the article quickly. " _Asgard_. Isn't that where-"

"We will brief you upon your arrival, Miss Sunderland. Highest levels of security and all," Fury said with a distinct tightness to his words. Kat knew better than to continue. "Do you accept the assignment, Agent Sunderland?"

Katarina loved the sound of that. "Count me in, Fury."

* * *

Pepper Potts's heels stuck the polished floor as she marched down the corridor, Katarina at her side. Pepper was two inches taller than Katarina, and her heels made her far taller. Katarina's black leather boots made soft echoes of Pepper's steps.

"So, what do you know about this guy?" Katarina inquired as they walked in companionable silence.

Pepper sighed, her eyes worried. "I know Tony certainly isn't his biggest fan."

"I can't see Tony being a big fan of anyone but himself," Katarina chuckled.

"True. But you see my point. He's seriously bad, Kat. Be careful with this one," Pepper warned.

"I'm always careful," Katarina said, flashing an easy smile.

She approached the door at the end of the hallway and punched a code into the keypad beside the door. The chrome door slid away, revealing a conference room. The panoramic view showed the clouds and blue sky of the floating headquarters. A long, black table furnished the room, surrounded by familiar faces.

Natasha Romanoff jumped from her perch on one of the chairs and rushed Katarina. They playfully tossed a few punches that didn't connect and twirled and flipped around the room. Katrina finally stopped, letting Natasha crash into her. They embraced, laughing loudly.

"Oh, god," Tony Stark muttered. "My least favorite tag-team is reunited."

"I could say the same for you, Stark," Katarina shot back.

He frowned. "Me and…?"

"Your ego."

"Ah, of course. How could I forget such a dashing, young fellow?"

Kat giggled and released Natasha long enough to embrace Tony. He was handsome, in a rugged familiar sort of way. His dark brown hair was cut short and his facial hair was impeccably trimmed. He was wearing a tight red t-shirt with a black logo for the band Guns 'N Roses on it.

"Who's this guy who kicked your ass?" Kat inquired.

Tony scowled. "He didn't kick my ass."

"Yes, he did. He kicked both of our asses," Captain Steve Rogers admitted.

Katarina kissed the young blonde man's shaven cheek and shook her head.

"Then we will have to just hand his ass to him."

"That's the spirit!" Tony whooped loudly.

Steve rolled his blue eyes with exasperation. "You all are incorrigible."

"Big word, Captain," Katarina teased.

"I'm not incorrigible," Doctor Bruce Banner protested.

"You're a genius," Tony agreed. "As am I."

"It's not all about you, Stark," Natasha said, rolling her eyes.

Tony looked thunderstruck. "It's not? Says who? I didn't agree to this!"

Steve slugged him in the arm. "I say so."

Katarina shook her head.

Captain Steve Rogers was gorgeous. He could look at a girl with those beautiful blue eyes and have her melt into a puddle. He was blonde and had the manners of a man from another time. Which is exactly what he was. Doctor Bruce Banner was soft-spoken, with short dark hair and equally dark eyes. He rarely laughed at Tony's joking mannerisms, but Tony was quickly growing on him like a suffocating sample of mold.

"We've never actually met," Kat began, shaking hands with the scientist. "I'm Katarina."

"Tony has told me much about you. It's a pleasure," Bruce replied with small smile. Kat noticed that even when he smiled his eyes retained their quiet sadness.

Nick Fury sat silently in one of the chairs, his hands clasped in front of him. He was dark-skinned and bald, with a patch over one eye. He watched the world's most skilled profiler mill about with her friends, laughing. She took her work very seriously, he knew, and she would have to keep her head for the job ahead of her. If anyone could uncover the invader's motives and next move, it would be this young woman. The fate of the world quite possibly rested on the shoulders of a nineteen year old.

"Miss Sunderland," he greeted the young woman.

Katarina straightened and unlinked her arm from Natasha's. "Fury," she replied with a polite smile.

"Are you prepared for your assignment?"

His words hung in the suddenly silent room.

Katarina stepped forward, her head held high.

"Of course, sir. What do I need to know?" she answered, her voice steady and sure.

Fury stood up to his full height that towered over Katarina. His eyes searched hers.

"He's the God of Mischief. The God of Lies. This is not a job to be taken lightly, Agent Sunderland."

Katarina didn't speak. Nick was going into 'lecture mode' as Tony had called it on several occasions. Katarina was listening intently, leaning forward on the table, her palms pressed flat.

"He wants to take over our world, to enslave the human race. Our Avengers Initiative had congregated to stop him. He has been captured and is in our custody."

"How did he get here?" Katarina asked.

"Portal, as far as we know. He's Thor's adopted brother."

Katarina frowned. The limited knowledge she had of the Norse god gave her enough to form a profile on Thor. This didn't match up, but then again she knew how different siblings could be.

"He has control over Clint Barton and Doctor Erik Selvig of New Mexico."

Katarina glanced at Natasha out of the corner of her eye. Natasha looked away quickly.

"What do you want me to do with him? He sounds pretty evil. It doesn't sound like you need me to tell you that," Katarina pointed out.

Fury nodded in agreement. "We need you to figure out what he plans to do next. We need to know his weaknesses, his strengths. Find out anything and everything you can, Agent Sunderland."

"I'll take her to him," Natasha volunteered.

"As will I," Steve agreed.

"Good. Meet up with Thor after. You might need his insight," Fury advised.

He dismissed them all with a wave of his hand, and the group dispersed. Tony, Pepper, and Bruce went up a stairwell, talking science and business. Natasha, Steve, and Katarina made their way down the corridor, weaving through several hallways. Steve led the women, chatting with Katarina.

"How is what's-his-face?" Natasha inquired, adding to the conversation.

"Mario?" Katarina cringed. "I'm so sick of _seemingly_ nice guys cheating on me."

Steve frowned. "He cheated on you? I'm sorry, Katarina." Steve upheld honor and loyalty above almost everything else, and this news certainly rubbed him the wrong way. Had the men of this era completely forgotten what it meant to be a gentleman?

"Me, too," Kat sighed.

Natasha smiled, teasing and trying to cheer up her friend. "You want me to kill him in his sleep and pin it on the other woman?"

"As good as that would make me feel…" Katarina replied. In truth, Mario had asked too many questions and far too much of Katarina. He had talked of moving in together, a step Kat was afraid she would never be able to take.

The three laughed and it echoed down the corridor. Curiosity and nerves clenched around Kat's heart. She was about to profile a _god_. This was no common criminal, no average job.

"What's his name?" Katarina asked as they turned another corner.

Steve glanced at her with concerned blue eyes. "I thought you just said his name was Mario…"

"Not him. Thor's brother, Mr. Evil," she replied.

Natasha answered, her voice harsh with an unconcealed loathing, "Loki."

* * *

Loki paced back and forth in the small cell. He could see the control panel out of the corner of his eye, the lights blinking tantalizingly. His cape whipped out behind his shoulders and his hands clenched into fists. He heard the door open and the soft voices of several people talking, but he didn't look up from the floor.

"He doesn't seem so scary," he heard a female murmur, her voice thoughtful.

Loki grinned to himself. Give him half a chance and he'd show her what it meant to be 'scary.'

"Don't underestimate him," another female snapped at her. It was the pretty red-head, dressed in a tight leather suit. She was glowering at Loki.

"Ma'am, with all due respect, Katarina's a professional. She knows how to crack him," the man said. Loki recognized him as the one referred to as 'Captain Rogers.' The red-head was Agent Romanoff. The small brunette, however, he had never seen before.

Loki glanced up, his eyes meeting hers. She was short and young to this world. Naïve, trusting, _mortal_. Her brown eyes were dark and curious, her lighter colored hair pulled back in a twisted knot. She walked right up to the glass of his confines and stared him straight in the eye.

"Can he hear me?" she inquired, glancing over her shoulder to Agent Romanoff.

"Yeah, and you can hear him," Romanoff sneered at the man.

Loki smiled back, a chilling, sadistic look.

"We need to get a sound-proof aquarium to stick Tony in," the little brunette laughed.

Captain Rogers shook his head, smiling slightly. He reached out and gently touched the back of her arm and Kat glanced up at him. It was so nice to see the soldier again.

Loki glanced at them in disgust. It was obvious the captain and the girl were attracted to one another by the look they shared.

"Well, you guys can go now," she said to the others. She sat down cross-legged in front of Loki.

Katarina watched the tall, slender figure commence his pacing. Natasha stayed behind her, eyeing the god wearily.

"C'mon," Steve urged. "Give her space to work. We'll check on you later, 'kay?"

"See you around, Steve."

Natasha and Steve left silently. Katarina kept her eyes on Loki.

He was abnormally pale, with slicked-back black hair and delicate features. He walked with a certain grace that Katarina knew she would simply never possess. She was far too busy tripping over her own feet to be graceful. His eyes were a bright green and kept darting to her.

Loki wasn't sure what the young woman was doing. She sat there and watched him intently, her brown eyes tracking his movements.

"So…what's your name?" she asked. Her voice echoed in the almost empty room.

Loki glared at her. How could she not know his name? Everyone in this floating fortress seemed to know who he was and what he was there for. For once people knew who _he_ was, not just 'Thor's brother.'

She cocked her head to the side. "You speak English, don't you?"

Loki almost cringed. Her voice was far too innocent to be sincere. She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and pulled her knees to her chest. Loki couldn't decide how old she was. She was well-developed, like a mortal woman, but had such a quality to her that made him think she was no more than a child. Her hips and breasts were full, filling out the black t-shirt and matching leggings that adorned her body. She wasn't as thin as the assassin. Loki actually preferred the way the flesh gathered on her body, but it made her look stronger, as if more force would take her down than the Black Widow.

"You have to. Otherwise, Fury would have called in someone else. I only speak English, you see. Except for the bits of French I learned in high school." Which was a lie. She spoke seven languages fluently.

Katarina kept talking, not giving away anything too personal. The man had stopped pacing and was watching her. His expression was a mix of amusement, disgust, and confusion.

"I hear you're Thor's brother," she finally said.

The amusement left his face and the glare returned.

"You don't look like him. Adopted, right?"

Loki turned his back on her.

" _Oh_ , the cold shoulder, huh? Very original. But, you see," she stood up and walked around the glass container until they were once again face-to-face, "that won't work. You've got nowhere to go."

Loki saw the fierceness behind her eyes and he began to rethink his original assumption that she was so naïve.

"Do you ever stop talking?" Loki felt like kicking himself for acknowledging the girl.

She beamed, clearly pleased she had made him speak. She only did so to cover the shiver that raced down her spine from her ears to every nerve in her body. His voice was smooth, measured, melodic. It was the type of voice that recited Shakespearean sonnets, not threats of world dominations and submission.

"I don't talk in my sleep," she admitted.

Loki continued to stare at her. Katarina tried not to flinch away. His eyes were such a pure, sea glass green, and they seemed to search her soul and mind. He tilted his head and took a step closer to her.

"Why would you let your comrades abandon you? Don't you know how dangerous I am?" Loki demanded.

Katarina did probably the stupidest thing she's ever done: She laughed at the god.

"I asked them to go. And they _all_ say you're psychotic. I'm here to find out if that's true or not."

Loki frowned, his smooth brow creasing. "I'm trying to take over your realm, and you're not sure if I'm dangerous?"

"So you admit you are trying to take over this realm? Interesting… not many would admit to that. Especially if you're up against people like Iron Man and Captain America." She stepped forward. If the glass hadn't been between them, she could have reached out and touched Loki. He towered over her. _At least six-foot_ , Katarina thought idly. If he was human, with that build, she could have taken him down with two or three blows, depending on how fast his reflexes were. Godly strength was not something she could measure, however. "You can't win, you know. There's no way you can beat them all."

Loki grinned. It chilled Katarina to the bone, and she knew right then and there that she would probably die if Loki ever escaped his cell.

"Watch me," Loki countered, his bright eyes dancing.

Katarina leaned on her toes, their gaze locked. "I guess seeing will be believing."

"Is that what you came here for? For me to unveil my plans?"

Katarina shrugged. "That was the hope. It never really goes that quickly, but I have to lead in somehow. You're very intelligent, aren't you?"

"You have no idea, mortal," he hissed, catching her condescending tone.

"But you're proud and envious, and that will be your downfall." She continued to speak as if she hadn't heard him. "Your hubris is quite impressive," she laughed.

"And your downfall is the trust you have in your heroes. They won't be able to save you, little girl."

Katarina scowled and Loki grinned in response. He had somehow hit a nerve.

"Never call me 'little girl.' I'm no child." She turned on her heel and began to walk away. At the door, she turned back to Loki and said, "And my only weakness is milk chocolate."

With that, Katarina left the God of Mischief staring as the door closed and locked behind her.


	2. Chapter 2: We Weren't Born to Follow

Hey! Thanks for making it to the second chapter! The title is based off the song by Bon Jovi. Hope you like this one!

* * *

"He's bad alright," Katarina confirmed, swallowing the last gulp of Sprite. "He's also an asshole."

Tony snorted. "Really? The whole 'take over the world, make you my slave' thing didn't give that away?"

Katarina stuck her tongue out at her godfather. The door to the conference room slid open with a soft whooshing sound and Thor sauntered in, grinning.

"Katarina from the Land of Sunder!" Thor bellowed and Kat crouched down defensively, half expecting the god to step on her. He was massive. And she thought Steve was built? _Holy_ crap.

"How do you do?" she squeaked, glancing at Tony for support. The man was laughing hysterically.

"Magnificently! Your director has been explaining the concept of internet to me. What wonders you mortal possess!"

Katarina noticed that Thor didn't say 'mortal' with contempt, but with loving exasperation. Like a well-loved pet that kept getting itself into trouble.

Tony tapped Thor's swollen bicep and said, "No hard feelings, Point Break. You've got a mean swing." Thor raised his eyebrows, no doubt convincing himself not to actually flatten the normal-sized mortal. Kat decided she liked Thor; he reminded her of a golden retriever she had when she was a kid. Tony turned and motioned to Katarina as she slumped into one of the high-backed leather chairs.

"That brother of yours seems to have ruffled Kitty's fur," Tony observed. Kat glared at him but didn't deny it.

"You have spoken with Loki?" Thor looked concerned.

"Don't call me 'Kitty,'" Kat told Tony. She turned her soft brown eyes on Thor and said, "Yeah, I did. I can't see how you two are related."

The God of Thunder frowned. "We are not of the same blood."

"So, he's got family issues? Big deal," Tony snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Join the club. We've all got 'em. I'm just trying to figure out where the rebellious-teen-stage turns into the rule-the-universe-stage." Kat put her Sprite can down long enough to massage her aching temples.

Loki wasn't too hard to figure out. He thought he was better than everyone, was jealous of his brother, and had unresolved dominance issues. But, for some reason, Kat couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to the dark-haired god. Especially since he had been captured and didn't seem too shaken up about it. Even when he had glared up at her, his eyes held such a sadness that Kat's heart constricted just thinking of it. _That sadness_ …Kat had never seen it in any other case she had worked.

"He just let you guys capture him?" Kat asked for probably the fifth time.

Tony groaned, not wanting to repeat his story again. Although every time he retold the events he seemed to have a bigger role in Loki's capture.

"No, Kitty. I had to use brute force to knock him down. Captain Red-White-and-Blue was no help whatsoever. He stood there with the video camera, placing bets with Fury," Tony fibbed.

Kat rolled her eyes.

"I helped. I captured him, too," Thor added. Kat noticed that his eyes were the color of the sky in summer, not the stormy gray she had thought they would be. They were so bright and open, so different from his brother's piercing green gaze.

"Only _after_ we caught him. You flew down in all your thunder and lightning and almost turned me into the Iron Pancake!" Tony protested, waving his hands around.

Thor threw himself into one of the chairs, the metal groaning under the sudden weight of the buff god. "You would be a lot quieter if I had."

"He'd probably find some other way to annoy the hell out of us," Katarina chuckled, taking the last gulp of her soda can.

Tony muttered dramatically about his resentment for "those comments." Thor stared at him, not comprehending what an "unappreciative ninny" is.

Katarina retreated into her own thoughts again as the two heroes argued heatedly. She tried to focus on the task at hand, on her new project. Tony had explained to her that Loki's motives weren't the only things she was tasked with uncovering. He had stolen an object from S.H.I.E.L.D that needed to be returned immediately. Kat didn't know what the object was or why Loki had taken it, but if Fury needed to know the location of it she would be damned if she didn't find out. She once had a serial killer tell her the places he hid two bodies without even realizing he had slipped up.

There was something about those chilling eyes that sent a shiver down Kat's spine. Loki was creepy and evil and wanted to turn her people into his slaves, but there had to be more than that. Those eyes held a depth that practically took Kat's breath away. Kat couldn't help the next thought in her mind: if he washed whatever was in his hair out, and stopped glaring and scowling so much, he might even pass for handsome.

Katarina shook her head and absently grabbed Thor's arm as he was about to take a swing at Tony.

"When are we heading home, Tony?" Katarina asked distractedly.

Tony frowned at the youngest member of the crew. "Everything alright, Kitty Kat?"

"Don't call me that," Kat said with little emotion in her voice.

"What if your assistance is necessary?" Thor inquired, not catching her mood.

Kat brushed stray hairs out of her eyes. "The world will still be burned a crisp after a night's rest."

Tony said, "Sounds like a plan. This place gives me the eebies."

"Why? Hard work and government operations?"

"You know me so well," Tony said, pretending to wipe a sentimental tear from his eye.

Thor scowled. "You are supposed to be watching my brother this evening, Stark."

"Watch him do what? Pace back and forth and sneer?" Tony shot back.

"Make sure he does not attempt to escape!"

"You think the death trap that will drop a trillion feet to the ground won't stop him?"

"Tony, let's go. My head is pounding," Katarina muttered, clutching the back of her neck and weaving past the two. She would probably raid Tony's liquor cabinet when he and Pepper weren't looking. The Sprite wasn't helping much no matter how much she tried to trick herself into thinking sugar was enough.

The tension in her shoulders only increased as she hurried down the hall and up a flight of stairs. Tony would take her home, where she would make cookies with Pepper and watch the news with JARVIS. All thoughts of the green-eyed god with a wicked smirk would vanish from her mind and give her a moment's rest to regroup.

Tony came up behind her, grabbing her by the elbow and steering her down the opposite hallway.

"Hey, where are we going?" she demanded, glancing over her shoulder.

"To the airstrip. You were going the wrong way," Tony explained. "The only thing down that way is Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Creepy himself."

* * *

Katarina slipped out of her room, wrapping a hair tie around the base of her freshly woven French braid.

"Can I help you, Miss Sunderland?" JARVIS asked in his automated tone.

Kat smiled softly into the darkness. "Actually, JARVIS, I just wanted to do some research. My work is bothering me."

"If there is anything I can do, please don't hesitate to ask."

Kat patted the wall adoringly. "Thank you, Jarvis."

She padded down the hallway barefoot. She went into one of Tony's many living rooms in his Stark Tower residence and flopped onto the soft red couch, one of the electronic tablets situated on her lap. She tapped it to life.

"Who _are_ you?" she whispered to the device, Google-ing the name 'Loki.'

"Tony Stark. I thought you knew that," Tony said from behind her. He leaned over the back of the sofa, his chin almost resting on her shoulder.

Katarina jumped so badly she almost dropped the tablet.

"Tony! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you. I was just…" She trailed off, glancing at the screen of the device.

Tony vaulted himself over the sofa and plopped down beside Katarina, taking the tablet from her.

"Can't crack him at all, huh, Kit-Kat?"

Kat sighed and rested her head on the older man's shoulder.

Four years ago, in the middle of her junior year of high school, Kat's parents died in a horrific car accident. Tony had set her up in a Los Angeles apartment not far from his Malibu address and Pepper had been kind enough to suggest her to a detective's office. At eighteen, she was able to taken on a full-time job with the LAPD as a criminal profiler. Tony was as much of a brother as she had ever known, considering what a disappointment her own brother was; Katarina loved Tony more than her own flesh and blood. Her father had been an engineer with Stark Industries for almost twenty years and worked closely with both Pepper and Tony himself. While Tony did not necessarily take on the full father-figure role, Kat still regarded him as the closest thing to family she had left.

"Yeah. I just can't break him. No one with that much resentment just gives up like he did. I've never met a person I couldn't read like a book or predict like a bad detective show," Katarina admitted.

"You're quite frightening," Tony agreed.

Katarina frowned, grabbing the tablet and beginning to read.

"There's not much on him, just Norse mythology," Katarina decided after reading for several minutes in silence. "And not much of this seems trustworthy. I somehow can't believe he actually gave birth to an octo-horse."

"Kinky bastard." Tony grimaced. "Maybe you should check with Blondie. I'm sure he could tell you more than Wikipedia will."

"Thor?" Katarina nodded. "That actually sounds like a good idea."

"Don't sound so surprised. I have plenty of good ideas."

Kat grinned. "Oh, yeah? How about that time-"

"Don't even go there, sister," Tony teased back.

She laughed and curled against his side. Tony smiled at her as she continued to scroll on the tablet, reading softly to herself. Eventually her words trailed off before ceasing altogether.

* * *

"What are these…wafers?" Thor asked, jabbing the food with his fork.

"Waffles," Katarina corrected, giggling.

Thor poked the waffle again. "What is it made of?"

"Some sort of batter. I'm really not sure but Pepper makes the best ones."

Thor picked the waffle up in one hand and stuffed the entire waffle into his mouth. Katarina shrugged, unfazed. She had a feeling Asgard didn't teach table manners alongside hammer-throwing and realm-ruling.

"Katarina, what did you request my presence for?" Thor asked, getting down to business.

Katarina sighed and pushed her plate out of her way, leaning forward on Tony's kitchen table.

"Tell me everything there is to know about Loki," she said.

Thor started, looking up for the first time from his breakfast. "Why are you so curious?"

"It is my duty," Katarina said automatically. She cleared her throat, thinking her next words out carefully. She had started to mimic Thor's proper tone, a subconscious trait she had learned from Natasha. "And he's…unsettling. I need to know, Thor. I need to know everything."

Thor leaned back in his chair, linking his hands behind his head. He regarded her with more than the concern Tony had the night before. The god knew something more was going on, but he blamed it on his brother's doing. Maybe he had used magic on the little mortal as he had on the Hawk.

"He has always been an odd character. Soft-spoken, mild-mannered, small and weak compared to Asgardians. I think he always knew deep down that he was different."

Katarina leaned across the table, kneeling on her seat, her eyes wide with interest.

Thor continued in his steady voice. "Our father took him from Jotunheim, the land of the Frost Giants. Loki is Laufey's blood son."

"Who's that?"

"The leader of the Frost Giants."

Thor let Kat mull over this information before continuing. All she could think was: _no wonder he's so freaking tall_.

"Loki is the reason I stepped foot onto your planet in the first place. I was banished, you see, and then Father fell into Odinsleep. That left Loki as king. He was power-hungry and ruthless. Katarina," Thor stared deep into Kat's eyes, making sure she heard every word, "he killed me so he could be king."

Kat started. "He _killed_ you?"

"But I came back. Obviously," Thor smirked.

"Wait, hold on," Katarina held up a hand. "Loki killed his own brother, just so he could be in charge?"

"Indeed. And he will kill again, if given the chance." He pulled Kat's chin up. "We must not give him that chance."

Katarina swallowed hard, feeling her heart pounding in her chest.

"I see the pity in your eyes, Katarina. I see the beginning of hope. You think you can change him, do you not?"

Kat glanced away, not wanting to admit it. Even serial killers repented for their sins sometimes. She had seen her fair share of homicidal loonies, and every single one was still human at his or her core. There was always hope for humanity even if there was no chance of redemption.

"He is manipulative, Katarina. Understand that he will do everything in his power to escape and rule your world. He cannot be changed."

Kat watched Thor's blue eyes dull with sadness. It hurt him to speak of his brother this way, but he wouldn't lie to her. Not about something so imperative.

"You think everyone can be rehabilitated," Thor's voice softened, "but Loki is beyond even your help."

Thor stood, patting her on the shoulder before exiting the room.

* * *

"Who is she?"

Natasha glanced up from her magazine. She was slouched low in her chair, her booted feet crossed at the ankle and propped up on the desk in front of her.

"Who is who?" she countered, feigning disinterest.

"That girl. The little brown-haired one. What does she want? What is she doing here?" Loki demanded, pacing.

Natasha shook her head. "I have no idea who you are talking about." Even though she knew he meant Kat.

The God of Lies grinned menacingly.

"Is she really that special to you? The Captain seems to adore her, and you share his sentiment?"

The red-head didn't reply.

"She's awfully loquacious."

"As you seem to be today," Natasha muttered testily.

"Can you at least tell me what her name is?" Loki balled his hands into fists, his green eyes flashing with irritation.

Natasha checked her watch and closed her magazine.

"It seems my shift here is done." She stood in one languid motion and began to walk away. "Why do you care what her name is?"

Loki cast his gaze to the ground. He didn't have a good answer for that. Ever since she had walked out the door, he couldn't seem to get her out of his mind.

"I do not _care_ ," Loki protested bitterly. He shook his head. Normally he was quick-witted enough to have a good response for this kind of conversation.

The door opened at that moment, letting in Thor and Katarina.

"You're off, Nat," Katarina said. "Get yourself a cappuccino or something. You look like hell."

Loki sighed and slumped to sit on the ground. He had to wait only a little while longer, but listening to these mortals was quickly grating on his nerves. With the presence of his brother, he could be sure he was in for another lecture on what Father would say.

"What, are we annoying you?" Kat directed her question at Loki.

He didn't reply, but instead shot daggers at her.

"Huh. If looks could kill," Kat muttered.

"Now, wouldn't that be a cool ability," Natasha mused. "Do you think I could have Stark get started on that?"

"After your coffee and a couple hours of sleep," Katarina laughed, ushering Natasha from the room.

"How's that woman of yours, brother?" Loki asked.

Thor tensed, fixing a cold stare on the imprisoned god.

"You sound jealous, dude," Kat teased.

Loki watched the young woman smile at Thor, flashing her white teeth. Thor reached over and ruffled her hair.

"As you can see," Thor waved his hand at Loki, "he is still here. Hurry along now. Doctor Banner and Stark wish to show you something. It is part of this wonderful magic you call 'science.'"

"Alright, alright," Katarina sighed. She turned to Loki. "Nice seeing you again, Loki."

Loki pressed his palm against the glass of his cell, watching the mortal woman leave.

"You do know my name."

Kat stopped at the sound of his quiet voice.

"Of course I do. I'm not as foolish as you think I am." She gave him a strange look. "My name is Katarina. And, for future reference, it's more polite to ask a woman directly for her name."

* * *

"You're screwed."

Katarina scowled, her dark eyes flashing. Of course, Natasha didn't say 'screwed,' but a similar word that started with an f.

"It's just a job. You know that," Katarina insisted as the two women walked down the corridor.

"Right. Then why did you volunteer for tonight's watch, even though Tony forbid you from taking watch alone?"

Katarina swore under her breath and Natasha grinned without humor. She had asked Fury personally to let her have a few watch shifts alone as it would help her become familiar with her subject. Needless to say they were keeping that a secret from Tony.

"I need to figure him out," Katarina fumed.

"You need to figure out why you care so much. Remember that rapist last year? It took you _weeks_ to crack him and you didn't care this much," Natasha said.

"Oh, bug off, Natasha."

Natasha grabbed Katarina by the shoulder and shoved her into the wall. The Black Widow was only seven years Kat's senior but far stronger and much more intimidating than Kat would ever be.

"You listen to me, Katarina Alexandra Sunderland: Don't fall for his tricks. I see it in your eyes. You think he's worthy of redemption. He isn't. He took Clint-" Natasha broke off, wrenching away quickly.

"And if I don't crack him he'll take others. He'll take Tony and you and Steve and it will be _all my fault_ because I didn't see it coming."

Katarina stormed into the room, leaving Natasha fuming in the hallway, only to find Loki staring straight at the door.

"It's three o'clock in the morning. Don't you ever sleep?" she demanded, still fired up.

Loki smirked. Her creamy skin was flushed dark pink with anger and frustration. Her eyes, almond-shaped but wide enough to be fully expressive looked inexplicably tired, dragged down by the desire for sleep. "I could ask the same of you."

Katarina's eyebrows shot up. "Meaning…what?"

"You are not sleeping well."

"What makes you say that?"

Loki's lips twitched higher. "I'm a god. I know lots of things."

"How old am I?" Katarina countered.

"Twenty."

"What's my favorite color?"

Loki full-on grinned. "Green."

Katarina sat down on the floor beside his prison. He had unnervingly gotten both questions correct. _Lucky guesses_ , Kat thought to herself.

Loki didn't need to tell her that he had heard all of the information from a conversation between Natasha Romanoff and Steve Rogers earlier that day.

"You _do_ know things. But you're not the only one. I know things about you, too," Kat retaliated.

Loki sat down, threading his fingers on his knees. He looked amused.

She said, "You're a Frost Giant."

Loki scowled, his smirk disappearing instantly. "Who told you that?"

"You're brother, err, _adopted_ brother."

"If you think you're so smart, have you deciphered my next move?" He changed the subject easily, forging a less personal path of conversation. He knew she hadn't in any case. She would be gloating if she had. Or Fury would have killed him.

"Fair enough. I'm not sure. I know you have something planned, though."

"And whatever gives you that idea?"

"You gave up." Katarina leaned towards him. "You _let_ them capture you. You hardly put up a fight."

"Maybe I've decided I can't beat your heroes." He could barely say the words before a devious grin spread across his face.

"I know you, Loki," Katarina stated with false bravado. "You wouldn't give up. Not for anything."

"You're wrong there," Loki countered. His green eyes held hers and Kat found that she couldn't look away. "I'd give in for the right reasons."

"And knowing you're going to lose isn't a good enough reason?"

Loki chuckled darkly. "How do you know I'm going to lose?"

Katarina rapped her knuckles lightly against the glass.

"You can't do much from your aquarium."

Loki frowned. "Aquarium?"

Katarina snickered. He was just like Thor in that way, not catching on to some of her words. _Immortals_ , she scoffed mentally. "A glass container you keep fish in."

Loki wasn't sure if he should be insulted or not. Whatever these 'fish' were they couldn't be too bright if they were constantly trapped in such a place.

"What if I asked nicely?" she teased.

Loki raised his thin, dark eyebrows in response.

"Please, give up?" she offered.

Loki said, "I'm already in your custody."

"Pretty please?"

Loki stood up so he towered over her sitting figure. "Not even if you put a cherry on top."

"Hey!" Katarina beamed proudly, and Loki momentarily worried he had given up some vital piece of information. "Thor wouldn't have understood that. I'm quite proud."

Loki turned away from her glowing expression.

"I'll ask only one more question, then I'll let you sulk in peace," Kat said.

Loki heard the truth in her voice and sighed. "As you wish."

Kat scrambled to her feet, not nearly as graceful as Natasha Romanoff.

"Why are you doing this? And I want the truth. This can't just be a struggle to be Daddy's favorite. What motivates you, Loki?"

Loki heard the hard edge to her words. This was killing her that she didn't know everything about his mind, and he planned to use that to his full advantage.

"Your planet possesses a powerful weapon that could destroy all of Asgard. I'm merely protecting my realm. Your director plans on wiping out our entire race with his Tesseract." Loki's carefully weaved lie seemed to hit Katarina like a physical blow.

"The Tesseract?" Her voice sounded wary, even to her own ears. She weighed the word on her tongue, wondering exactly what kind of device had the power to do such damage.

Loki let his face turn into a mask of pity. "They haven't told you about it, have they? Maybe you should ask your dear director. And what _his_ motives are."

Kat pursed her lips. "You're a liar. Why should I trust you?"

Loki shrugged, as if he didn't care whether she believed him or not.

"Why not? Your friends haven't been telling you the truth, and you trust them well enough."

Katarina scowled at the god. She turned her back on him and settled into one of the chairs across the room.

The two didn't speak for the duration of the night. She pointedly ignored him, but he watched her with piqued interest. The young woman didn't fear him like the others did. She stood up to him, went as far as to tease and test him. No one had ever done that, not even his own brother. All of her allies had shown fear when they faced the god. _This simply won't do_ , he decided. He would have to make her afraid of him. After all, there was really nothing she could do for him. Except give information. If her specialty really was weaknesses then she must know that of her heroes…

Katarina glanced up and saw Loki grinning maliciously at his boots.

 _Lunatic_ , she thought, rolling her eyes.


	3. Chapter 3: Hero

There are a few things I know someone will point out here... Yes, I realize Thor cannot do this kind of magic, but for the sake of the story, he can in this chapter. Also, the events in The Avengers movie take place over two days tops. This story will expand that a little bit. So a few changes, but nothing tragic. I hope you guys like this one :) It took forever to write haha. The chapter is named after "Hero" by Skillet.

* * *

"Kitty, please unlock the door. You know I'll just have Jarvis unlock it if you don't come out soon," Tony coaxed gently from the other side of the door.

Kat swung the door open, her hair fluffing out of two messy braids and her eyes rimmed red with exhaustion. She was wearing one of Tony's old Def Leppord shirts and a pair of leggings.

"What do you want, Tony?" she asked, her voice tired and thin.

Tony immediately pulled her into a hug. He wasn't touchy-feely, never had been, but Kat was. He knew that the easiest way to earn her trust and confidence was with embraces.

"Thor's here," he murmured against the top of her head.

"I don't want to see him right now. Tell him I'm sorry," Kat turned to retreat into her room.

"He brought chocolate," Tony added.

Kat stomped past him, down the hall to the kitchen. Thor stood uncomfortably by the state-of-the-art refrigerator, a milk chocolate bar in his hands. Kat grabbed the bar, hoisted herself onto the edge of the counter, and stared at the god.

"I'm listening," she prompted when he continued to fidget.

"I wanted to show you something. You are the only one who seems to show any compassion for my brother, and I want you to see how much he has changed from the boy I thought I knew," Thor said, lifting his eyes to meet hers. They were guarded, dark eyes that made Thor hesitate.

"I would never let my brother die. It is simply not in me to let that happen," Thor began. Tony ushered the two into the living room, hearing the beginning of a good story.

Kat pulled a small, red throw pillow onto her lap and watched the god settle down beside her.

"Then don't let Fury do it."

"You make that sound so simple," Thor chuckled. "I could not stop Fury if he set out to do it. And neither could you."

Kat tipped her chin up defiantly. "Watch me. He cannot just kill for sport."

"Like Loki did in Germany?" Tony sighed and shook his head.

Thor continued, "You cannot fight for him, Katarina. It pains me to tell you this, but… he is beyond saving. There is no humanity left in him. He was born to destroy."

Kat regarded the god with contempt. "You wanted to show me something, well, show me then."

Thor held both of his hands, palms up, in front of him. His brow creased as he concentrated on his palms. Gradually a light sparked in the center, growing and stretching until it became the image of a room. It was dark, lit by torches that cast eerie pools of light into the chamber. A staircase led up to a doorway and behind it was a gold plaque of some sort. On the stairs, a man Kat had never seen before stood proudly, but his eye held caution. Thor smiled beside her.

"My father," he explained.

Katarina could see the resemblance now. The man had the same blue iris and ragged blonde hair, the same strong jaw and powerful stance. He wore a headpiece that shone gold in the firelight and came down to cover his right eye in the form of a patch.

"What-" Kat began, but Thor shushed her softly.

The man called out, "Stop!"

His voice echoed in the room, as if he was speaking to nothing. Kat shot an amused look to Tony, but Tony frowned, his eyes locked on the scene unfolding in Thor's open hands.

A shaky voice replied to Thor's father. "Am I cursed?"

"No…" the man answered hesitantly, his eye casting down to the floor.

"What am I?" the other voice responded, followed by a sound like two heavy rocks being pushed together.

"You're my son."

The image pulled out, revealing the length of the chamber and a dark shadow at the end. A glowing blue box sat on an altar beside him.

"Loki," Kat breathed in realization, she knew that dark hair, those slight curls, even his stance was startlingly recognizable.

Thor tensed beside her. "And our father, Odin. This happened when I was banished to your realm."

Loki turned around to face Odin. His skin was the deep blue of uncut sapphires and marred as if by scars, his eyes a lifeless red. Kat began to protest, but the color quickly faded from Loki's face and he became more…Loki.

"What more than that?" Loki asked. He began to walk toward Odin in slow, measured steps. "The casket isn't the only thing you took from Jotunheim that day, was it?"

Odin waited for Loki to come to the foot of the stairs before answering. "No… In the after math of the battle I went into the temple and I found a baby." Odin's face clouded with memory. "Small for a giant's offspring. Abandoned, suffering, left to die…Laufey's son."

Loki was looking away, off to the side. "Laufey's son…" he repeated. His green eyes swept up to meet Odin's.

"Yes."

Loki's lower lip trembled and his breath turned shallow.

"Why?" Kat's heart lurched at that single word, drawn from the same place inside Loki that was slowly breaking. "You were knee-deep in Jouten blood, why would you take me?"

"You were an innocent child-"

Loki interrupted, his voice hard and resolute. "No. You took me for a purpose. What was it?"

Odin regarded his stolen child warily. Loki's green eyes shone with unshed tears.

" _Tell me!"_ Loki cried out, his voice conveying extreme anguish in those two little words.

"I thought we could unite our kingdoms one day -bring about an alliance, bring about permanent peace- through you."

"What?" Loki whispered.

"But those plans no longer matter."

Shinning tears slid down Loki's pale face. His eyebrows scrunched with confusion and disbelief. His expression was so broken, so ripped apart, that it almost shattered Kat's heart.

"So I am no more than another stolen relic, locked up here until you might have use of me," Loki stated.

Odin frowned. "Why do you twist my words?"

"You could have told me what I was from the beginning. Why didn't you?" Loki demanded.

"You're my son. I wanted only to protect you from the truth."

Loki looked away, tears flowing freely now. "What?" His word caught. "Because I-" he stuttered slightly. "I am the monster who parents tell their children about at night?" Kat could see that Loki could hardly believe what was happening, who he was becoming the more Odin spoke.

"No…" Odin sighed.

"You know it all makes sense now," Loki seethed. Odin, obviously affected by this exchange, sat down on the steps. "Why you favored Thor all these years. Because no matter how much you claim to love me you could never have a Frost Giant sitting on the throne of Asgard." Loki ascended the steps until he stood over his father, fear, loathing, and pain emanating from his eyes.

Odin reached up, as if to grab his son's hand, before slumping onto his back.

The image disappeared in a wisp of pale gray smoke. Kat looked up at Thor with wide, startled eyes. Her cheeks were wet with tears she hadn't realized had fallen. She cleared her throat and wiped her eyes dry.

"That was the end of my brother. He thinks he is a monster, so he plans to act like one. When he sets his mind to something," Thor smiled longingly, "nothing will stop him." He truly appreciated the mortal's compassion. It was not a common trait in Asgard and he adored it in the human race, especially the unwavering kind that Katarina held so dearly, even if, in this case, it was useless.

"Kind of like me, in a sick, twisted way," Tony pointed out, trying for humor.

"You wanted me to see him turning into an evil _creature_ ," Kat murmured, her voice breaking. "All you showed me was a boy who realized he wasn't who he thought he was."

Thor began to shake his head adamantly.

"No," Kat said. "I needed to see that. Thank you. It explains everything now."

She stood up and retreated to her bedroom with her chocolate bar in hand, slamming the door, then apologizing softly to Jarvis.

* * *

The window was open in Katarina's bedroom, letting in cool New York City air. The sounds of the city filtered up to her. She leaned heavily out, gripping the frame and inhaling deeply. Tears had continued to leak from her brown eyes ever since she had barricaded herself in the room. Tony hadn't attempted to call her out again. Kat swept her hair back into a long braid, watching the stars glitter high overhead. She could only see a few sparkling dots here and there. Her mind wandered momentarily, and she thought of what stars would look like on Asgard, if they saw stars at all.

Kat pulled on her black, form-fitting pants and zipped up the matching vest. She slipped on her belt and her boots.

With silent footsteps, Katarina crept into the hallway. The house was dark and silent. She hoped Tony and Pepper had already gone to bed -as much as that made her cringe- and made it silently down to the garage.

"What can I do for you, Miss Sunderland?" Jarvis asked.

Kat smiled. "I need to borrow one of Tony's cars. Something fast that he won't miss too much. And preferably quiet. I'd like to leave without him knowing, if that is possible."

"Certainly, miss. Take the silver Audi. The keys in the ignition. And do be careful, Mr. Stark is in the kitchen at the moment."

Kat glanced around the garage. Headlights flickered to life in the darkness and a car engine started up.

"The keys are on the seat."

"Thank you, Jarvis. Would you mind keeping Tony busy for a few hours?"

"Not at all. Drive safely, miss."

Kat climbed into the car, buckled in, and sped off into the night.

* * *

Tony swore at the machine.

"Jarvis!" he bellowed. "Why are _all_ the computers malfunctioning?"

"I don't know, sir. Must be a technical glitch," Jarvis replied.

Tony sighed and grabbed a pair of pliers. He approached one of the control boxes, snapping it open. Smoke billowed out and red lights began to flash.

"That doesn't look good," he muttered, blowing the smoke out of his way.

"It doesn't feel too good, either," Jarvis replied.

Tony snickered and began rewiring the circuit that seemed to have fried, quite mysteriously. The green wire beside it began to crackle and then burst into flames. Tony swore and began fixing the other wire as well, only to have a yellow wire fry. At this rate, he'd be reworking his house all night long.

* * *

Kat swallowed against the lump in her throat. She had to coerce Steve into taking her to the Helicarrier, and he kept glancing at her worriedly.

"You don't look so well, Kat," he murmured.

Kat smiled. It had taken months to convince him to stop calling her 'ma'am' or 'Miss Sunderland.' "Sorry. I just needed to research something that's been keeping me up."

Steve shrugged. "Suit yourself."

He unlocked the door to one of the offices and ushered her inside. It was a plain room, with white-painted walls and a single desk. A shiny, new laptop and a cup full of pens were the only things on it.

"This will work just fine, thanks Steve," Kat said, sounding grateful.

Steve grinned proudly. "Happy to be of service." And he was. The young woman, as headstrong and competent as she was, had come to him for help. It had been a long time since he was asked for assistance as Steve, not Captain America.

"You know how Tony gets when he works…" Kat was saying.

"Loud rock music blasting through the place? Yeah, I've heard," he grimaced.

They both laughed and Kat settled into the white chair. Steve waved and closed the door behind himself.

Kat breathed deeply and slowly, trying to calm her erratic heartbeat. She hated lying to Steve - _especially_ honest, good Steve- but she had to. Natasha wasn't trusting her much lately, Tony wouldn't have allowed it, and Thor and Bruce would have just tried to talk her out of it. Kat counted silently to three hundred, before slipping out of the office room, Steve's key card in hand. She had nabbed it from his pocket when he held the door open for her.

The corridor of the Helicarrier was dark and silent. She slipped her boots off and left them inside the office so she wouldn't be heard. This late at night she figured no one would be awake, even those supposedly on watch. She peeked her head inside the room before entering. It was Tony's night to babysit and he had skipped out, presumably preoccupied.

"What are you doing here?" Loki demanded.

Katarina stared at him, remembering Natasha telling her Loki had killed eighty people in two days, remembering Thor saying Loki had killed him, remembering Fury telling her not to let her guard down. And yet, all she could see was the young man from the mystical image: Loki, tears on his cheeks and his words huanted.

"I won't let them kill you."

Loki stared back, and Kat realized she had spoken aloud.

"They cannot kill me. I'm a god," Loki said disdainfully.

Kat snorted in a very unladylike manner. "They want to use the Tesseract on you."

"I know."

Kat sighed and sat down on the cold floor. Loki mirrored her and she smirked.

"Well, Mr. Know-It-All, how do you plan on saving yourself?"

Loki was silent for a minute. He patted the ground and looked up at his glass encasement.

"This…prison was built for your monster, the one you call Bruce Banner. Did you know that?" He finally mused.

Kat rolled her eyes. "I figured they had built it for something. They couldn't have known you were coming like this."

"True."

Kat huffed, frustrated. These could be his last moments alive and all he wanted to talk about was the Hulk?

"You don't have a plan? Nothing? Come on, Loki," Kat's voice had an edge, but she tried to tease anyway, "I thought you were smarter than that."

"Never doubt my intelligence, mortal, for it is far greater than yours." His lips pursed into a flat, pale pink line.

"Oh, really?"

Loki rolled his green eyes. "You are quite bright. But, still dull by my standards."

"Sorry I don't live up to your expectations, jackass. I was going to help you, but if you want to insult me…" Kat shrugged and stood up.

Loki watched her. Her hair was back, as it always was, with several curls hanging loosely at her temples. He fleetingly wondered if her hair was as soft as it looked, but he quickly banished that thought.

"Why would you want to help me?" Loki whispered.

Kat looked up at him, meeting his beautiful eyes, and felt her breath catch at the intense emotions she found there.

"You aren't as evil as they say you are. You aren't even as bad as _you_ think you are. You're just…lost. I can save you, Loki. You just have to let me," Kat murmured. For the first time since she'd met the god, she wished there wasn't such a protective barrier between them.

Loki's eyes narrowed and his lips twisted into a sinister sneer. Kat retracted her previous thought.

"When I escape from here, I will kill all of your friends. Let their blood spill out in front of you, have you watch it all without being able to stop it. I'll start with your precious Tony, or maybe Steve. Who do you love more?"

Kat stepped back and, startlingly, she grinned through her fear.

She said, "My boys will rip your heart out before that could ever happen. I have more faith in their ability to keep themselves safe."

Katarina stepped out of the room, glancing over her shoulder one last time. She had wanted to explain that she understood him now, and that she would help him in any way she could. There was a fine line here between rehabilitation and out-right treason against her friends and allies. Kat was teetering along it, her own moral compass panicking with every thought that passed through her wired brain. She had, indeed, succeeded in pissing of a very powerful god. Loki watched her go, his smirk fading and his eyes glowing with something different from hatred. Kat couldn't place the look, for she had never seen it directed at her before.

"Goodnight, Loki. Sleep well," she whispered.

He heard, and after she closed the door, he murmured back, "Pleasant dreams, Katarina."

Kat snuck back down the hall, her socked feet barely making a sound on the polished floor.

An agent in his pressed uniform turned the corner and almost ran into the girl.

"Oh, excuse me, miss," the man said. "I didn't see you there."

"It's fine," Kat giggled uncomfortably.

The agent frowned at her. "Are you authorized to be here, miss?"

Kat flashed Steve's access card, covering the name with her thumb. She cleared her throat and held out her hand. "Agent Sunderland, at your service, sir."

The man grinned. "Agent Coulson. A pleasure to meet you."

Katarina exchanged a moment of pleasantries with Coulson before claiming she needed to return to work.

Phil Coulson turned and watched her walk away, his brow creased. The girl wore no shoes, and she seemed to be muttering to herself.

 _At least my job is never boring_ , Coulson thought to himself, shrugging and continuing on his way.

* * *

Back in the nondescript office space, Kat powered up the computer and pulled up YouTube. Someone was bound to have caught the attack in Germany on their cellphone, Kat reasoned. She wanted to see Loki in action, see how he fought. She had seen a handful of fistfights and had watched in undisguised awe as Natasha took down an attacker, her six-inch heels clearly not weighing her down a bit. The way people fought said a lot about them. If they are reluctant, timid fighters, then their heart is almost never in it. That's how Kat fought, no matter how hard she tried to hide it. Like Tony, she was better with words than fists.

The first few videos that popped up were shaky, blurred so badly that Kat simply skipped along. She turned the volume down when the first few shattering screams echoed in the office off the bare walls. After several similar attempts, Kat grinned to herself. _Of course_. She pulled up S.H.I.E.L.D.'s database of information, bypassing firewalls and using Tony's passwords as she went. In the file Tony had received on Loki, the most recent documents included a full write-up on the incident in Stuttgart, including video footage. It started from far off, inching closer and closer. Kat could hear the dull thrum of an aircraft engine.

Below, a crowd was grouped in front of a large, well-lit building. It reminded Kat of a museum, and from the attire of the people, it might have been a black-tie event. The camera found its target and zeroed in. Kat was scarcely breathing.

Fully armored, a cape of forest green swaying behind him, stood Loki. He reared proudly and confidently above the masses that kneeled awkwardly in their finery. In his hand, he wielded a scepter with a glowing blue gem embedded in the tip. A headpiece of brushed gold crowned Loki's black locks, swooping up into backward curving horns. He looked frighteningly powerful. Street traffic ceased, a wailing siren cut off suddenly. On-lookers gave up recording the scene and fled like disrupted ants.

He spoke in a clear, taunting voice. "Is not this simpler? Is this not your natural state?" Loki moved effortlessly through the submissive crowd, chin high, a wicked smirk playing at his lips.

"It's the unspoken truth of humanity that you crave subjugation." Loki spoke measuredly, taking his sweet time punctuating his words so that no mortal doubted his intentions. "The bright lure of freedom diminishes your life's joy in a mad scramble for power. For identity. You were made to be ruled. In the end, you will always kneel."

From the center of the crowd, a man, elderly and having a slight difficulty making his way to his feet, addressed Loki. "Not to men like you."

Kat was only mildly surprised that he spoke in accented English. Then dread began to seep in. This brave, solitary figure, could have been one of Loki's eighty victims.

Loki chuckled. "There are no men like me."

"There are always men like you," the man insisted. His face was hard with resolve, with the knowledge that he was taking a stand quite possibly in vain. Kat felt a surge of compassion and awe. She had felt the full force of Loki's glare, heard his threats, and this older man had the strength to stand before Loki, unwavering.

Loki was still grinning, knowing full and well who had the power. "Look to your elder, people," Loki addressed the congregation again. He leveled his scepter with the man and the tip glowed blindingly bright. "Let him be an example." It sparked forward and Kat flinched.

But Loki fell forward, the spark hitting him in the chest of his metal armor. And there was Steve, in full uniform with his shield protecting the older man. Kat squealed with happiness, with pride. Oh, thank god for Steve.

"You know," Steve began, his voice so much different than Loki's. It was more self-assured, more powerful. It wasn't the thinly veiled insistence of Loki's threats. No, Steve spoke with the same voice that the German man did, with defiance and a sense of purpose. Kat promised herself to hug Steve tightly the next time she saw him.

"The last time I was in Germany and saw a man standing above everybody else, we ended up disagreeing," Steve said. People cautiously began to scramble to their feet. Loki glared up at Steve from under the weight of his helmet.

"The soldier," he laughed without humor as he rose to his feet. "A man out of time."

"I'm not the one who's out of time."

"Loki," Kat recognized the voice of Natasha, "drop the weapon and stand down." Kat wasn't surprised to find Natasha was the pilot of the aircraft. Loki shot his next energy orb up at the aircraft and Kat flinched as it barely missed the camera.

Steve raced forward, shield at the ready and punched Loki right in the center of his face.

"He punched him," Kat gasped in awe. "Thata boy, go for the gut!"

Loki, as if hearing Kat, used his spear and shot under the shield, knocking Steve flat across his abdomen.

"Not you," Kat grumbled.

The two converged, Steve as flexible and fast as ever. He fought more defensively than anything, but could land a jab or toss of the shield when the moment called. Loki was fully offensive, powering over Steve by several inches and wielding the scepter like a sword. Loki knocked Steve across the back, sending the soldier sprawling forward. Loki towered over Steve's crouching figure, the butt of his scepter on the back of Captain America's helmet.

"Kneel," Loki seethed.

"Not today," Steve grunted. He knocked the scepter away and stood with one leg, kicking out powerfully with the other. Kat grinned; that was a hard move to make while trying to stand. But Loki managed to throw the now off-balanced man, letting Steve tuck and roll along the cement ground.

Suddenly, the PA system began to blare a familiar tune and Kat had to clutch her stomach she was laughing so hard. Loki didn't stand a chance. Even if he did against Steve who was a little out of practice, Kat's godfather certainly had kept up with his skills. "Shoot to Thrill" by AC/DC practically rattled the camera. There was no doubt that Iron Man had decided to show up, fashionably late of course, with theme music.

Loki was blasted out of the shot as the camera worked to catch up. Iron Man landed, displacing cement around his foot, knee, and open palm. Tony had explained several times that landing flat on both his feet could screw up the mechanics. He had explained it fully, in engineering terms that made Kat just nodded absently.

Tony stood to his full height, small missiles folding from the shoulders and arms of his suit.

"Make your move, reindeer games," Tony said as the song faded out. Steve stood and took Tony's side, shield at the ready.

Loki, on his butt with the scepter out of reach, glared up at the two heroes.

Before Kat's eyes, Loki's armor and helmet glowed with a soft golden light and shifted into the outfit she had seen in person and the antlers disappeared. He held his hands up, palms out, in the universal sign of surrender.

Tony eased up, letting the weapons retreat. "Good move," he said amicably.

Kat paused the video and scrolled to read, all the while a wide grin on her face. Loki had been taken out simple enough by Tony and once Steve got into the swing of things he would be just as formidable an opponent. Combining that with Thor's brute strength, Natasha's cunning attacks, and if necessary, the Hulk's mindless force, Loki didn't stand a chance.

Kat would sleep well tonight. No matter what Loki believed, he was no match for her heroes. Kat was a bit star-struck, in fact, from watching the two mortals fight. Those were her guys, her honest, resilient protectors. This was the side she belonged on, snuffing out the power-hungry, no matter how much they had been wronged. Tony had daddy issues himself, and orphaned Steve, and neither of them were trying to turn the population of Earth into their slaves. There was _always_ hope.

* * *

Smoke was filling the kitchen when Kat snuck back into Stark Towers and into her bedroom.

"Thank you, Jarvis. You did a wonderful job," Kat laughed softly.

"Thank you, Miss Sunderland," Jarvis replied, sounding quite proud.

Kat changed and slipped into bed, pulling the cool sheets tightly against her body. She curled in on herself, praying for sleep and dreams. They came, of course.

 _Katarina stood on a balcony, overlooking what she could only describe as a city. It was no New York or Jersey City, though. It was a landscape of gleaming gold towers, lush grasses, high mountain ranges, and a glimmering path that stretched out into the dark surrounding sky. Kat had never seen such a place, such beauty made by man before. The air wasn't tinged with smog or gasoline and wasn't heavy in her lungs. Kat looked up, straining her neck back and almost gasped. The black abyss of sky was dotted, swirled, and sprinkled with stars._

 _"_ _Gorgeous, is it not?"_

 _Kat knew the voice that spoke, knew she should be afraid or at least on guard, but she didn't even turn around._

 _"_ _Yes," she agreed, her eyes drinking in the scene before her._

 _Loki stepped to the railing of the balcony beside her, placing one of his thin hands on hers. His skin was cool to the touch, Kat noticed idly._

 _"_ _Where are we?" she murmured._

 _"_ _Asgard." Loki said the name like a prayer._

 _Kat finally turned to face him, and stared. He was in the stiff-collared outfit he wore in his prison, but it was now coupled with a velvet green cape and a headpiece with two upward-curving horns. She knew the ensemble from somewhere, but she couldn't put her finger on it._

 _"_ _Nice antlers," Kat giggled._

 _Loki raised a dark eyebrow before his lips twitched upward at the corners. Suddenly, he reached out and pulled her by the waist until they were flush against each other. Kat steadied herself by placing her hands on his shoulders and blushed fiercely. He grew serious again, his eyes searching her face._

 _"_ _I need for you to promise me something."_

 _Kat waited for him to elaborate, her heart hammering in her chest._

 _"_ _Don't go to the Helicarrier tomorrow. I don't care if you lose your job or make many people angry,_ do not go _. Do you understand me?"_

 _Kat gulped in a breath of fresh air, finding it hard to focus. Loki's slim fingers dug into her hip._

 _"_ _Promise me, Katarina," Loki murmured desperately. His eyelids fluttered slightly as he gazed at her. "Promise me," he pleaded again when Kat didn't reply. His head dipped closer and Kat felt his cool breath fan across her heated face._

 _His nose brushed hers. Kat went up on her toes, an arm slinging around his neck to pull him closer, closer… until their lips brushed and everything inside of Kat began to burn._

She opened her mouth and inhaled sharply. Her alarm was ringing clearly, her room was too warm, and she was perfectly wrapped in the blankets like a suffocating cocoon. Bad dream, Katarina chided herself, rubbing at her eyes. She needed to get moving if she was going to make it to the meeting with Tony. She knew if she wasn't ready on time Tony would gladly leave without her. Kat shook her head to physically dislodge her dream. _It's bad form to think about making out with the enemy_ , Kat grumbled silently. He could be as broken and handsome as he could be but the facts still remained, hardening Kat's resolve. Loki was the villain in this production and Kat was merely trying to decipher the script.

* * *

Thank you for reading! Please let me know if you have any feedback or thoughts, I'd love to know what you think! Stay tuned...


End file.
